* Daniel da Veiga <danieldaveiga@gmail.com> [09/03/09 12:33]:
> On Sun, Mar 8, 2009 at 17:20, Moshe Kamensky
> <moshe.kamensky@googlemail.com> wrote:
> > Hi,
> >
> > I am trying to help my father install gentoo on a new computer (I am
> > across the ocean). We have a problem with the internet connection. He
> > has an adsl account. He runs pppoe-start, and it says that he is
> > connected. ifconfig shows that ppp0 is up, and gives an ip address.
> > However, I can't ping that address (I get 100% packet loss). He also
> > can't ping any address.
> >
> > We called the ISP, and from their side it seems that he is connected,
> > and everything is fine. I don't know where else to look. The log
> > messages showed in the beginning messages of the form
> >
> > LCP: timeout sending Config-Requests
> >
> > but they seem to no longer appear. As I said, I don't even know where to
> > start looking for the problem. Any help is appreciated.
> >
> 
> OK, this may me a little off topic. I don't even know where to start
> when it comes to check your dad's connection. Being far away and not
> knowing the exact messages, with no access to the machine itself, its
> almost impossible to debug and resolve the problem.
> 
> My advice: get a router! Configure it for your dad's connection, the
> router will assume the PPoE connection, saving you the trouble. It
> also will act as a firewall and even if your dad's computer fail, any
> other DHCP enabled device connected to the router will have Internet
> access.
> 
> Anyway, my two cent :D
> 

Thanks for the advice. I was told that it is possible to configure the 
current modem as a router, and that's what I will try next. Generally 
speaking, I don't understand what is the advantage: the router also 
needs to be configured, and can also fail?

Thanks,
Moshe